Topic: The Hot Mess - 1975 CB550F1 Frame/1981 CB650 Engine

[SOHC4 Cafe Racer Fan]

Yeah, Sam, I am still leaning that way for now.  It also depends on how well the electronics pan hides everything.

[Retro Rocket]

Yes, do something different Don, otherwise it will just look like the 750, F tank and same tail....

[MessnerMoto]

Design of Ian's seat goes together with f tank. Designs match 

[Retro Rocket]

Design of Ian's seat goes together with f tank. Designs match

Yes, I know, but Don already has that combination on his 750....

[SOHC4 Cafe Racer Fan]

I like the shape of the Motolanna seat but I am not a huge fan of the vinyl.  The shape of the seat, follows the 550 frame rails closer, and as Mick pointed out, I have done that tank/seat combo previously on my other 750. 

Maybe I'll re-upholster the Motolanna seat down the road.

[Retro Rocket]

I like the shape of the Motolanna seat but I am not a huge fan of the vinyl.  The shape of the seat, follows the 550 frame rails closer, and as Mick pointed out, I have done that tank/seat combo previously on my other 750. 

Maybe I'll re-upholster the Motolanna seat down the road.

Thought about making your own seat Don, wouldn't be that hard....

[SOHC4 Cafe Racer Fan]

I like the shape of the Motolanna seat but I am not a huge fan of the vinyl.  The shape of the seat, follows the 550 frame rails closer, and as Mick pointed out, I have done that tank/seat combo previously on my other 750. 

Maybe I'll re-upholster the Motolanna seat down the road.

Thought about making your own seat Don, wouldn't be that hard....

If I really wanted to, I could spend a day at Ian's and he would walk me through it.  I am not sure how pretty it would be though! 

I think that for now, I'll use what I have and save a second custom metal seat for later.   

[MessnerMoto]

You can draw the design for him

[Retro Rocket]

You can draw the design for him

Actually, I have a good F model tank, I'm currently trying to work out what type of seat or tail to use with it, I may end up modifying/ reshaping a stock seat base or another seat base yet...

[SOHC4 Cafe Racer Fan]

The 750F tank is my favorite of the whole 750 series.

[Retro Rocket]

The 750F tank is my favorite of the whole 750 series.

Yes, I like them too Don, a lot don't though...

[SOHC4 Cafe Racer Fan]

Has anyone used these lights? They have a white side facing LED to illuminate a license plate and then amber turn signals -- and mount the license plate to the bike. 

lights_zpsbykodwsb by Donald Leonhardt, on Flickr

I was thinking of using these on the back and something discrete on the front -- maybe the Motogadget handle bar-end mounted LEDs.

[SOHC4 Cafe Racer Fan]

I would consider the Motogadget if it also illuminated the plate.  The Motogadget ones are probably brighter, but I'll see how the dual purpose LEDs work out -- since the Motogadget ones are twice as expensive. 

I will likely use the Blaze discs for the fronts.  http://motogadget.com/en/turn-signal-lights/m-blaze-disc/m-blaze-disc.html

mblaze_disc_blk_on_01_800_zps4typ4twv by Donald Leonhardt, on Flickr

mblaze_ice_fazer_an_rechts_05_800_c_zpswztck8zq by Donald Leonhardt, on Flickr

[flatlander]

those bar-end signals are super neat. i'm glad i'm not in the market for some or i'd be tempted.

[CBGhia]

They look nice, but for the price difference, I'll take these:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/7-8-Motorcycle-Handle-Bar-End-LED-Plug-Turn-Signal-Light-Amber-For-Ducati-400-/391000753396
or these:
http://www.amazon.com/Technologies-LED-Handlebar-Marker-Light/dp/B0031BJV6Y/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1454442298&sr=8-3&keywords=bar+end+turn+signals

[FunJimmy]

I was thinking of using these on the back and something discrete on the front

These are very discrete Don.
Super bright too.

http://www.watsendesign.com/

[/

[SOHC4 Cafe Racer Fan]

I was thinking of using these on the back and something discrete on the front

These are very discrete Don.
Super bright too.

http://www.watsendesign.com/

[/

So many choices.  These look great if I decide to not go with a dual purpose light (to signal turns and to illuminate the plate).  Very discrete and bright (220 lumens).

[Godffery]

 Any updates to report...? 

[SOHC4 Cafe Racer Fan]

Marinating.

[Retro Rocket]

Marinating.

 

[CBGhia]

Did you ever decide on the carbs?  I have a really clean set of stock 650 carbs, but I have thought about getting a set of the 750 carbs so that I have a better choice of air filters.

I don't really want to do velocity stacks and Pod have their own headaches.
Steel Dragon makes some cool looking airboxes.  I might be able to copy that style and just make it myself... 

[SOHC4 Cafe Racer Fan]

Did you ever decide on the carbs?  I have a really clean set of stock 650 carbs, but I have thought about getting a set of the 750 carbs so that I have a better choice of air filters.

I don't really want to do velocity stacks and Pod have their own headaches.
Steel Dragon makes some cool looking airboxes.  I might be able to copy that style and just make it myself...

I am not 100% decided on carburetors.  I will most likely use CR26s or CR29s.

I am not planning on using velocity stacks, because I don't want the trouble of having to cover them each time I park the bike -- to keep foreign matter out of the carburetors and engine -- or having to deal with rain.  I will likely use K&N filters since I do not have the stock 650 airbox, AND it will not fit in the 550 frame.  The Steel Dragon box for a 750 might be an option.

[SOHC4 Cafe Racer Fan]

-- or having to deal with rain.

Shut the FRONT door! It rains in SoCal? Man I must have slept thru the next millenium...

Torrential downpours, but not in SoCal. We get the "Storm Watch" news headlines whenever it drizzles.

[SOHC4 Cafe Racer Fan]

So, I am giving this project a re-think of sorts.  I picked up a dirt cheap 2012 GSX-R600 front in BLACK to upgrade the front (nothing else is gold on the bike).  Since Devin will allow me to swap my unused hub, and his triples fit the front, it is an easy swap.  It also features the newer Big Piston Fork (BPF) tech -- but the other GSXR was a quantum leap forward from our old forks -- and Brembo monoblock calipers.

12-600-2_zpsg4syttbk by Donald Leonhardt, on Flickr

12-600-4_zpsnrnf65q4 by Donald Leonhardt, on Flickr

12-600-7_zpsubdpbrgu by Donald Leonhardt, on Flickr

brembo2_zpskqqinktd by Donald Leonhardt, on Flickr

brembo6_zpslarzoc89 by Donald Leonhardt, on Flickr

brembo7_zpsknswnyex by Donald Leonhardt, on Flickr

[SOHC4 Cafe Racer Fan]

Marinating ideas . . .

While at Jay's shop last night, we had one of those "What do you think of this?" moments.  Since this project is leapfrogging the Bionic Mongrel 750 project, I wondered what the CMR Racing tank and Ian Halcott's seat would look like on the 550 frame.  Since I don't have the TTR400 swingarm for mock up, we used my CMR Racing swingarm in its place.  Frankly, I LIKE this idea.  Obviously the bottom edge of the tank will end up matching the seat line.

[image_zpskroyt9ev by Donald Leonhardt, on Flickr

image_zpsbghlukp2 by Donald Leonhardt, on Flickr